Laundry machine



July 23, 1935.

J. B. KIRBY LAUNDlfi MACHINE Fi led Nov. 14, 1930 Jame s B I-NVLNTQK Arr-ro yL a Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STA ES LAUNDRY MACHINE James B. Kirby, West Richfield, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio, as trustee Application November 14, 1930, Serial No. 495,688

27 Claims.

This invention relates to laundry machines and has for its object the provision of an especially simple and inexpensive device for washing miscellaneous articles of clothing as encountered in domestic practice, and extracting the liquid centrifugally. Subsidiary features of the invention relate to the selective disposal of the extracted liquid, the provision of means for rinsing the ex tracted articles; the construction and mode of combining and. operating the different elements, while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. A specimen embodiment of my inventive idea is shown in the accompanying drawing which will be understood as merely illustrations of the principles of'my invention without any idea of,

I limitation to the features there shown.

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through the complete machine, with its parts in operative position; Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing certain of the parts separated; and Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view corresponding to the line 33 of Fig. 1.

My improved machine preferably comprises a supporting frame including a circular metal plate I having a down-turned peripheral flange 2 and legs 3, the top of said plate having a flat supporting-portion 4 for, the liquid-containing casing. This casing is made of metal, preferably enameled, having an upright side-wall 5 formed as a surface of revolution, and having a bottom formed in two levels, namely an elevated central portion 6 and an annular surrounding portion 1, the two connected by a slant-walled portion 8, the annular portion 1 resting on the supporting-portion 4 of the plate I,

Fastened to the bottom face of the plate I is a box-like member l0 constituting a gear-housing and in the present embodiment the top of the plate I. is elevated as shown at H inside the region I of the tub or casing so as to contact with the elevated portion 6 of thelatter. Each of the portions 6 and H is formed with two registering apertures, one of the same being coaxial with the tub-wall and receiving the upstanding hollow bearing-sleeve l2, whose lower end is threaded into a socket 13in theportion II, the other receiving a hollow packing-gland l4 similarly threaded into a boss I5 in the portion II. A flange l6 on the sleeve l2 serves to hold down the tub, and also to constitute a bearing for the'elemen-t which is mounted thereon.

Surrounding the sleeve l 2 is a combined dasher or agitator and extractor-shell. This comprises end of the sleeve l2 and provided at its upper end with a hollow receptacle having a circular bottom 2| which merges with upwardly and outwardly-flaring sides 22, also defining a' surface of revolution.

Projecting laterally from the sleeve at a point below the bottom 2! is a circular plate 23 terminating at its margin in a depending flange 24' near the slanted position 8 of the tub bottom; and connecting the container 22 and. plate 23 are radial blades or vanes 25.

Below the plate 23 the sleeve 20 is formed with spur-teeth 2B which mesh with the teeth of a segment gear 2'! located in the space between plate 23 and tub-portion B, being carried by the upper end of a rock-shaft 28 which is journaled in the packing gland I4. Rotatably journaled inside thesleeve I2 is an upright shaft 30v whose upper end projects above the top of the sleeve Hand is made prismatic as shown at 3! for a purpose hereafter described, while its lower end is provided with a spiral gear 32 located inside the gear housing heretofore mentioned. Journaled in thisgear-housing is a horizontal drive-shaft 33 suitably driven in any suitable way as by the belt 34 and motor 35. Carried by this shaft inside the housing are two spiral gears of unequal mechanical advantage, one shown at 36 meshing with the gear 32 and the other shown at 31 meshing with a companion gear 38 located. inside the gear-box and operatively connected to the shaft 28 by means of a pitman '39 and lever 40. For simplicity I have shown no clutch or other disengaging element, the shaft 30 being here rotated at all times that the mechanism is in operation, though it will be understood that clutches ,or other controlling means can be employed.

Located inside the flaring shell 22 is a foraminous centrifuge-container comprising essentially an upwardly-flaring frusto-conical wall" 44 parallel with and closely adjacent to the shell 22 and rising above the same in the form of an externally convex, perforated rim 45. The sleeve l2 rises a sufficient height into the shell 22 to avoid danger of leakage of liquid into the gear casing, and the bottom of the container is formed with an upstanding hollow hub 46 loosely surrounding said sleeve and terminating at its upper end in a socket-portion formed to receive snugly the prismatic end 3| of. the shaft. The exterior of the wall is preferably formed with one or more projecting ribs 48, preferably spiral or helicoid in development, and slanted in such wise as to assist the rotational effect of the container in elevating the extracted liquid up the slanting side wall of the shell 22 until it is ejected over the upper edge thereof. The rim-portion 45 is located above the edge of the shell 22 and serves to prevent the ejection of clothing articles centrifugally from the container. The top edge of the dasher is located above the normal liquid level in the casing 5 which ordinarily is at some distance below the tub corrugation 53. By reason of this arrangement the water in the ,tub 5 does not get into the cavity formed in the dasher.

In case it be desired to segregate the extracted liquid from the detergent liquid in the tub 5, a receiver of annular form is provided, comprising a bottom 50, an inner wall 5|,and an outer wall 52 fitting inside the side wall 5 and supported in any suitable manner as by an in-turned corrugation 53. The top of the wall 5| is approximately on a level with the top of the shell 22 while the bottom is formed with a discharge-spout 54 adapted either to register with a catch-basin 55 carried by the tub-wall or to discharge back into the tub. The basin 55 communicates laterally with the inlet port 55 of a discharge valve 51 whose outlet 58 is connected to a hose 59.

Fitted to the top of the wall 5 is a removable cover, preferably having adepending flange 50 to fit inside the wall 52, a circumferential flange 6! to rest on top of the wall 5, a domed portion 62 surrounding the rim 43, and a central boss or cupola 63 above the open top of the container.

' The side wall of this cupola is formed with a plurality of slots or apertures 64, preferably at least three in number, so that one of the same can serve for the accommodation of a hose- 65 for rinsing liquid, a second for an inspection window, and the remainder for the admission of light to the interior. It is practically impossible with upwardly flared extractor to rinse while running open, due to the tendency of the water to fly over the edge of the extractor, but this arrangement shields the operator while permitting a sufiicient view of. the operation. The cover is also provided with one or more hand-grips 68 for. its manipulation, and the bottom of the tub witha waste-valve B'I foiits evacuation; the bottom of the shell 22 is preferably formed with a drainage aperture closed in any suitable manner as by a cork-stopper 68 in order to facilitate the cleans ing and drying of the apparatus.

The sleeve 20 and gear-teeth 26 are preferably formed of die-cast metal, since most of these compositions are substantially non-corrodible,

have good anti-friction qualities, and are successfully lubricated by soapy water. The depending flange 2Q protects this gearing from the admission of clothing whichmight otherwise clog the same and become injured. The comparatively slow speed of the shaft 2. enables the employment of a tight packing without undue waste oi power, while the complete separation of the shaft 3| from the oscillating mechanism, by being located inside the sleeve l2, while'the oscillating mechanism is located wholly outside that sleeve, enables the high-speed shaft to be journaled for low friction without entailing risk of liquid leakage.. Furthermore it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth are presented for purposes of explanation and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departure from this invention as described in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A laundry machine having two compartments, one inside the other, the inner compartment comprisingan extractor chamber and the outer compartment adapted for the reception of a detergent fluid, walls for forming said compartments, an extractor-container inside said first compartment and means for mechanically agitating the fluid in said second compartment; said container extending above the top of said inner compartment'and said agitating means being integral with the wall forming said inner compartment.

2. A laundry machine having two compartments, one surrounding'the other and-having a common wall between them, clothes-washing elements in the outer compartment and rigid with said wall, an extractor-container in the inner compartment, and mechanical devices for moving said wall and thereby operating said clotheswashing elements and for rotating said container.

3. A- laundry machine having two compartments, one inside the other and separated by an upwardly-flaring common wall which defines a surface of revolution about a vertical axis, clothes-washing elements in the outer compartment and rigid with said wall, an extractorcontainer in the inner compartment and projecting above said wall, mechanical devices for moving said wall and thereby operating said clothes-washing elements and for rotating said container, and a remova le liquid-discharge element closing the gap between the top of said wall and the outer wall of said washing compartment.

4. A laundry machine having two compartments, one inside the other, and separated by a single wall-element, clothes-washing elements carried by the exteriorof said wall-element, mechanical means for moving said wall-element to agitate clothing and liquid contained in the outer compartment, and a centrifuge-container in the inner compartment separated from the contents of the outer compartment by said wallelement.

, 5. A laundry machine comprising an outer tub, a separate shell supported in said tub and defining two separate and distinct compartments, one inside the other, theouter compartment adapted for the reception of a detergent fluid, mechanism for imparting movement to said shell, agitating members carried by the exterior of said shell, an extractor container inside the inner compartment, and mechanism for rotating said container.

6. A laundry machine comprising a liquid holding casing having a bearing carried by its bottom, and a hollow dasher and an extractor located inside said casing, said extractor being inside said dasher, members on the exterior of said dasher for agitating the liquid contents of said casing, and means working through the bottom of 'said casing for driving both said dasher and extractor.

7. In a laundry machine, a casingfor clothes and liquid, an extractor-container inside said trically arranged, with the latter inside the extracting device comprising a flared walled container whereby the extracted liquid is caused to ascend and be discharged outside of the washing device.

9. In a laundry machine, a casing for clothes and liquid, means for establishing a liquid-level therein, an extractor of upwardly-flaring shape inside said casing and having its top above such level, means for ejecting extracted liquid from the top of said extractor, a movable gutter surrounding said extractor and having a drainage opening, discharge-connections communicating with said first named means for conveying extracted liquid from the drainage opening to a place outside the limits of said casing, and means for mechanically agitating the liquid in said cas- 10. In a laundry machine, a casing for clothes and liquid, a dasher-rising from the casing bottom and having blades for agitating the clothes and liquid, the upper part of said dasher being hollowed out, a centrifuge container rotatably -mounted in the hollowed out portion of said dasher, and means for rotating said container and oscillating said dasher said container having an upwardly flaring side wall whereby the extracted liquid is elevated to a place of discharge.

' 11. In a laundry machine, a casingfor clothes and liquid, a hollow dasher inside said casing,-

an extractor inside said dasher and extending above the top of the casing, means for rotating the extractor andoscillating the dasher, and a.

tainer and having provision for agitating theclothes and liquid in said casing, and means for oscillating said agitator and rotating-said container. i

13. In a laundry machine, a liquid holding casing, a dasher in said casing having a hollow portion, external liquid-agitating blades on said dasher, said dasher constituting the shell of a centrifugal extractor, and a rotatable container inside said shell.

14. In a laundry machine, a casing for clothes and liquid, an agitator journaled on an upright axis inside said casing, said agitator having a portion extending near the bottom of\ said casing and also having upright liquid-agitating blades, and also-having a hollow axial portion formed with an upwardly-flaring wall defining a surface of revolution about said axis, a centrifuge-container located in the cavity of said agitator and also having upwardly-fiaring'walls, means for oscillating said agitator about its axis and means for rotating said container.

' 15. A laundry machine comprising a tub, operating-mechanism including a vertical shaft projecting through the bottom of said tub, a centrifuge-container carried by said shaft, and upwardly-flaring shell formed as a surface of revolution about the shaftaxis, said shell surround- 'ing said container and spaced from thetub-wall and defining therewith a washing-compartment, said container fitting closely in said shell, agitating members in said washing-compartment connected to the shell, means working through the bottom of said tub for operating said agitating-members, and mechanism for rotating said shaft and operating said means, said container having an external rib sweeping closely past the wall .of said shell as said container is revolved.

16. A laundry machine comprising a tub, operating-mechanism including a vertical shaft projecting through the bottom of said tub, a centrifuge-container carried by said shaft and formed as an outwardly flaring surface of revolution about the shaft-axis, an oscillatable shell surrounding said container and spaced from the tub-wall and defining therewith a washingcompartment, said shell having its wall substantially parallel to that of the container, agitating members carriedby the exterior of said shell, means osbillatably supporting said shell, means working through the bottom of said tub independent of said shaft for oscillating said shell, and mechanism for rotating said shaft and operating said last-named means- 17. In a laundry machine, a tub, two vertical shafts independently journaled in the bottom of said tub on different axes, an extractor con tainer secured to one of said shafts inside the tub, a clothes-washing element having a cavity for reception of said extractor container. and operatively secured to the other shaft inside said tub with said extractor shaft traversing said washing element, and mechanism beneath said tub for rotating the first shaft and operating the second shaft.

18. In a laundry machine, a liquid holding tub, two vertical shafts independently journaled in the bottom of said tub on different axes, an extractor container secured to one of said shafts inside the tub, and a clothes-washing-element having a cavity for reception of said container and operatively secured to the other shaft inside said tub and surrounding the first shaft.

19. In a laundry machine in combination a tub, a hollow 'upright bearing-sleeve traversing the tub-bottom and rising a substantial distance therein, an oscillatable agitator surrounding said sleeve, an upright shaft journaled inside said sleeve, an extractor-container secured to the upper end of said shaft and located in a cavity formed in said agitator, a second shaft journaled in' the bottom of said tub at one side of said sleeve, operative-connections inside said tuo between said second shaft and said agitator,

agitating elements and also having at its lower end a circular plate overlying the tub-bottom, an upright shaft journaled in said tub-bottom at one side of said element and beneath said plate,

operative connections between said shaft and dasher external to said bearing element, and mechanism beneath said tub for operating said shafts.

21. In a laundry machine in combination a tub, an oscillatable dasher journaled therein upon a vertical axis and having both agitating elements and gear-teeth formed thereon, a shaft journaled in the tub-bottom at one side of said axis, a

inside said casing in the space beneath and sur-' rounding said extractor, mechanism for simultaneously operating said washing-elements and rotating said extractor, said extractor being so constructed that such rotation serves to eject its liquid-contents over the top of said flaring walls,

an annular gutter removably-seated 'in the'space between said casing-wall and flaring-walls and adapted to receive the extractor-liquid, discharge connections from said gutter to the exterior of the casing, and a removable cover for said casing and gutter embracing the upper end of said extractor.

23. In a combined clothes washing and extracting machine, an upright casing, means for mechanically agitating the liquid in said casing, a container for clothes and liquid rotatably mounted in said casing on a vertical axis, said container having side walls which define a surface of revolution about said axis and flare upwardly from thebottom to a level which is above the top of said casing, the bottom of said container being below the normal liquid level in said casing, said agitating means comprising walls forming an open chamber in said casing for the reception of said container, and a removable cover for said casing, said cover having a part adapted to surround the projecting portion of said container, and said container having liquid discharge apertures in said projecting portion.

24. In a combined clothes washing and extract- .ing machine, an upright casing, means for mechanically agitating the liquid in said casing, a container for clothes and liquid rotatably mounted in said casing on a vertical axis, said container having side walls which define a surface of revolution about said axis and flare upwardly from the bottom to a level of maximum diameter and there formed with liquid discharge apertures, the bottom of said container being below the normal liquid level in said casing, said agitating means comprising walls forming an open cham ber in said casing for the reception of said container, and an annular gutter removably attached to said casing with its inner wall lower than said apertures.

25. Ina combined clothes washing and extracting machine, container for clothes and liquid rotatably mounted on a vertical axis, and having side walls, which define a surface of revolution about said axis and flare upwardly from the bot tom to a level of maximum diameter and there formed with liquid discharge apertures, an upright casing surrounding said container and having an annular gutter surrounding said container below said liquid discharge apertures, the bottom of said container being below the normal liquid level in said casing and shielded from contact therewith, a cover for said casing removably mounted above said gutter and having a side wall 26. In a combined clothes washing and extracting machine, an upright casing, means for mechanically agitating the liquid in said casing, a container for clothes and liquid rotatably mounted in said casing on a vertical axis, said container having side walls which define a surface of revolution about said axis and flare upwardly from the bottom to a level of maximum diameter and there formed with liquid discharge apertures, the bottom of said container being below the normal liquid level in said casing, said agitating means comprising walls forming an open chamber in said casing for the reception of said container, and an annular element removably carried by said casing and surrounding said chamber and container below said container apertures, said element having internal and external walls connected by a bottom wall and defining a gutter, and a controlled outlet from said gutter.

27. In a combined clothes washing and extracting machine, a container for clothes and liquid rotatably mounted on a vertical axis, and having side walls which define a surface of revolution about said axis and flare upwardly from the'bottom to a level of maximum diameter and there ,formed with liquid discharge apertures, an upright casing surrounding said container, the bottom of said container being below the normal liquid level in said casing and shielded from contact therewith and an annular removable element carried by the casing wall below the level of said apertures, said element having spaced inner and outer walls connected by a bottom wall and defining a gutter, one of said walls lapping past the inner face of the casing wall and the outer wall being higher than the inner wall, a cover for said machine having a wall portion which laps past the inner face of said outer wall, a washing compartment in said casing below said gutter, and means enclosing the lower part of said container for mechanically agitating the liquid in said casing. I 7

JAMES B. KIRBY. 

